City Council 01/27/2026

January 27, 2026
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Executive Summary

The Worcester City Council meeting held on January 27, 2026, featured a proclamation honoring General Henry Knox and the Noble Train of Artillery. Significant discussion centered on a proposed Tax Increment Exemption (TIE) agreement for the Mankiti Group's development at 401-409 Main Street, which was ultimately referred to the Economic Development Committee. The Council also approved maintenance funding for former Becker College properties, authorized school roof repair funding through the MSBA, and addressed public safety concerns regarding winter weather transit operations and school zone parking at Roosevelt School.

Call to Order and Roll Call

  • Meeting Date: January 27, 2026
  • Governing Body: Worcester City Council
  • Type of Meeting: Regular City Council Meeting
  • Attendees: Mayor Joseph M. Petty; Councilors Morris Bergman, Robert Bilotta, Tony Economou, John Fresolo, Khrystian King, Satya Mitra, Luis Ojeda, Jose Rivera, Gary Rosen, and Kathleen Toomey.
  • Absences: Councilors Donna Colorio, Etel Haxhiaj, Jenny Pacillo, Candy Mero-Carlson, and George Russell were not recorded as present during the initial roll call.

Proclamations

  • General Henry Knox and the Noble Train of Artillery Day: Mayor Petty proclaimed January 31, 2026, as "General Henry Knox and the Noble Train of Artillery Day" to commemorate the 250th anniversary of the transport of 60 tons of cannons through Worcester to break the siege of Boston in 1776.
  • Guest Speaker: Deborah Nurse, representing the Massachusetts Daughters of the American Revolution, accepted the proclamation and detailed a reenactment event scheduled for Saturday, January 31, traveling from Elm Park to the Worcester Common.

Approval of Minutes

  • Action: The minutes of the City Council meeting held on January 13, 2026, were approved.
  • Vote Outcome: Approved 11-0 on a roll call vote (Councilors Bergman, Bilotta, Economou, Fresolo, King, Mitra, Ojeda, Rivera, Rosen, Toomey, and Mayor Petty voting 'Yes').

Public Participation

  • Fred Nathan (Worcester Resident): Spoke on Item 7F (traffic calming), suggesting that "you put more cops on the street" rather than speed bumps. He questioned the $2.5 million U.S. Economic Development Administration grant (Item 8-35A) and expressed concern over the city's bond liability regarding school roof repairs (Item 9A).
  • Abby Morenolero (District 4 Resident): Opposed the Mankiti Group TIE agreement (Item 10A), stating "no tips for big corporations." She advocated for rent control (Item 11A), food programs (Item 11C), and the establishment of a civilian review board for police accountability (Item 11I).
  • Gary Hunter (Worcester Resident): Urged the Council to vote against the Mankiti Group tax break (Item 10A) and criticized the lack of transparency regarding the Department of Justice (DOJ) report on the police department. He commended DPW workers for their efforts during the recent storm.
  • Steve Hart (District 1 Resident): Opposed Item 10A, arguing that the Mankiti Group is a "well-heeled" corporation that should not receive a "handout" for a property purchased seven years ago.
  • Darnell Dunn (Worcester Regional Chamber of Commerce): Spoke in support of Item 10A. He clarified that the Mankiti Group is seeking a Tax Increment Exemption (TIE) on the increased value of the property post-conversion, not a reduction in current taxes. He noted the project represents a $73 million total investment in the Central Business District.

Petitions and Committee Referrals

  • Public Works: Items 7A through 7D were referred to the Public Works Committee. Item 7B was withdrawn via roll call vote (11-0).
  • Traffic and Parking: Items 7E through 7K were referred to the Traffic and Parking Committee via roll call vote (11-0).

Appointments

  • Community Development Advisory Committee: The Council approved the appointments of Pingxing Chen and Toyin Akumbuli, and the reappointments of Steve Hill and Joe Wallen.
  • Vote Outcome: Approved 11-0 on a roll call vote.

Finance and Property Maintenance

  • Consolidated Finance Items: Items 8.35 A-G, 8.37 A-C, and 8.57 A-C were adopted on a roll call vote (11-0).
  • Becker College Properties (Item 8.36B): The Council discussed a $200,000 funding limit increase for the Seaver Street property revolving fund.
    • Discussion: Councilor King questioned the depletion of the fund. The CFO explained the funds (derived from leases to Clark University and Worcester State) were used for HVAC and general maintenance. Clark University paid approximately $643,000 and Worcester State paid $360,000 over several years.
    • Action: The item was adopted (11-0) with a request for a report on the annual maintenance costs and the status of the buildings for future municipal use.

School Infrastructure Funding

  • Item 9A: Recommending approval of solar repair and roof replacement funding through the Massachusetts School Building Authority (MSBA) for two schools.
  • Vote Outcome: Approved 10-0. Councilor Ojeda recused himself from the vote.

Economic Development: Mankiti Group TIE Agreement

  • Item 10A: A Housing Development Certified Project Application and Tax Increment Exemption (TIE) Agreement for 401-409 Main Street.
  • Discussion: Councilor King noted the delay in this item allowed for dialogue regarding a "responsible development ordinance" and concerns over subcontractors. Councilor Bergman expressed frustration with the delay, stating that concerns could have been addressed in subcommittee weeks prior.
  • Action: Motion to refer the item to the Economic Development Committee.
  • Vote Outcome: Approved 10-1 (Councilor Bilotta voting 'No').

Public Service and Transportation (WRTA)

  • Item 11E (Winter Weather Plan): Councilor King moved to take this item from the table to request a report from the WRTA Administrator regarding snow removal at bus stops to ensure pedestrian and rider safety.
  • Item 11D (Bus Route Removal): Councilor Bilotta moved to take this item from the table and refer it to the Standing Committee on Public Service and Transportation.
  • Action: Both items were referred to the Committee on Public Service and Transportation via roll call votes (11-0).

Suspension of Rules: Roosevelt School Safety

  • Roosevelt School Parking: Councilor Fresolo raised concerns regarding 30+ new parking spots at Roosevelt School. He noted a discrepancy between the Superintendent's statement (that spots were not for parents) and previous presentations to the Neighborhood Association claiming the spots would alleviate traffic on Grafton Street.
  • Action: The Council requested a report from the administration to clarify the intended use of the parking lot and to explore expediting a safety pilot program to less than 90 days.
  • Vote Outcome: Approved 11-0.

Adjournment

  • Announcement: Councilor Bergman announced a neighborhood discussion regarding the future of Elm Park on January 28 at 6:00 PM at the Cornerstone Bank building.
  • Action: The meeting was adjourned following a roll call vote (11-0).

Last updated: Jan 29, 2026

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